The concept of paint roller applicators is well known in the art. In general, a paint roller applicator includes a frame with a permanent paint roller handle for the user to grasp the applicator and a rotatable absorbent covering or roller mounted on the end of the frame to permit the user to roll paint on a surface. The frame and permanent paint roller handle are sufficiently rigid so that a user can apply pressure to the permanent paint roller handle to roll the paint onto a surface. Oftentimes a user needs a longer handle on the paint roller in order to paint overhead surfaces. The conventional way to extend the length of the permanent paint roller handle is to insert a second longer handle into a threaded socket located on the end of the permanent paint roller handle. While the insertion of the extension handle into the end of the permanent paint roller handle is convenient it does have disadvantages. For example, the junction between the permanent paint roller handle and the extension handle usually becomes a weak link oftentimes breaking if too much pressure is accidently applied to the extension handle while rolling the paint onto a remote surface. Consequently, the permanent paint roller handles must be made sufficiently strong so as to accommodate forces at both ends of the permanent paint roller handle. Also the placement of the female threads into a socket housing on the end of the permanent paint roller handle provides a large cumbersome end to the permanent paint roller handle that can irritate a users hand since the shape of the permanent paint roller handle does not smoothly conform to the users hand.
The present invention provides an improved one piece paint roller frame formed from a resilient wire. One end of the paint roller frame is formed into an open wire coil having a female thread configuration that allows the user to easily remove or attach a paint roller handle to the paint roller frame, yet provides a firm but yieldable connection between the paint roller handle and the paint roller frame so that pressure on the handle can be applied directly to the paint roller frame rather than through a socket housing in a permanent paint roller handle. In addition the open wire coil female thread of the present invention minimizes the inherent spring effect produced by forming a wire coil from a resilient metal wire. To minimize the spring effect we provide the wire coil female thread with equal or less turns then the rigid male threads it is to be mounted on. The result is that all the individual turns of the wire coil female thread are locked between the roots and crowns of the rigid male threads to limit the freedom of movement of the wire coil. Locking the female threads formed from a resilient wire into the rigid male threads on the handle provides an interlocking firm connection between the frame and the handle that negates the spring effect inherently produced by an open wire coil female thread. Consequently, the resilient aspect of a wire coil female thread formed from a resiliently wire is substantially destroyed by locking the roots and crowns of the wire coil female thread into the roots and crowns of a rigid male thread. However, since the wire coil female thread is restrained from movement only by the rigid male thread, which is located on the inside of the female thread, the connection between the handle and the frame retains a certain amount of resiliency or yieldability. Consequently, if undue pressure is accidently applied to the extension handle the wire coil female threads, which are located on the rigid male threads, can flex slightly outward and away from the rigid male threads in response to the force. The result is that one can distribute the handle forces to the frame and thus minimize the chances of breaking the connection portion between the frame and the handle.